Deterioration
by Maple-blind
Summary: Reality Trip AU. Danny and his friends, thanks to Jazz, decide instead of going to three different locations across the US, they would visit one remote city in Michigan. Little did they know the true reason for them visiting, and that trusting your memory isn't always the best option. No pairings.
1. 1- The Beginning

"Finally! School's out, and that means no more no responsibility or work for two months!" Danny exclaimed, as he and his two friends, Sam and Tucker, walked out of the school. It had been a difficult year, with balancing ghost fighting and school work, but it was over, and all students at Casper High were relieved.

"And no more of your lame excuses for leaving class," Sam added. "I'm pretty sure most of the grade thinks you have intestinal problems." Tucker laughed as Danny blushed from embarrassment.

"They don't! I occaisonally provide a different excuse," he huffed. Sam rolled her eyes.

"Sure you do."

"Hey Danny, as sorry as I am to break up this conversation, where did you say we were going again? For the trip you've given us _so_ many details about?" The three teens had decided to visit a remote city in Michigan. Originally, the three had wanted to go to separate places, but Jazz had convinced Danny to visit the city.

"Right, that..." Danny thought for a moment, trying to recall what he had read online, and heard from his sister. "Well, it's the home of Professor Membrane, and I know my parents would love to talk to a scientist. Even if he probably isn't a paranormal one. If they're out of the way, I can go ghost whenever I want, and we can hang out unrestricted. I'm sure there will be cool stuff to check out."

"Go ghost whenever you want? Won't people be suspiscious if Danny Phantom, the ghost is supposedly haunting Amity Park, suddenly appears in another town?" Sam asked, confusedly.

"I'll be fine," Danny replied. "What could possibly go wrong?" Sam and Tucker shared a look, as if they knew exactly what could go wrong. "Anyway, my parents are driving us, so meet at my house tomorrow. I'll text you the time." Tucker gulped nervously.

"Is your... _dad_ driving us there?" He questioned. Sam looked at Danny curious for the answer.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure he stays far away from the wheel." Tucker and Sam both looked relieved.

The trio continued walking in silence, eventually splitting as their houses where in different locations. After a short walk alone, Danny approached his house and let himself in. No one was there. He sighed. His parents were most likely in the lab, still making objects of ghostly doom, even before a trip like this. Jazz had most likely packed their luggage, even though she was too busy with school work to come, even though she had provided the location. Danny walked up the stairs and peeked in to his parent's room to confirm. Their belongings were packed neatly in a way only Jazz could accomplish. He smiled softly, and walked to his room. He hadn't packed his own luggage yet, depite being reminded by a certain older sibling. Danny almost wished that Jazz had packed his, but he didn't want to give the redhead an excuse to snoop around in his room.

Danny started to fold clothes and pack items into a beat up neon-orange suitcase. He had previously wanted to visit Florida, but with Tucker and Sam also wanting to go to separate locations, going to this one place really was best. A sharp pain pierced his head suddenly, making him drop a messily folded shirt. Danny held his hands to his head, shrieking with pain. After a few moments, the feeling mysteriously vanished, leaving him still clutching his head. He sat there for a moment. Footsteps could be heard approching from down the hall.

"Danny! What was that?" Jazz asked him, bursting into her younger sibling's room with concern. Upon seeing him on the ground in pain, she walked over and gave him a hug.

"I'm too old for that, Jazz," Danny said quietly, not wanting to aggravate his head. Jazz backed up slightly.

"Sorry." Danny looked at his sibling, lowering his hands from his head, and saw a surpring amount of concern on her face.

"It's fine, Jazz. I just had a bit of pain for a second. Nothing serious. This seemed to worsen the look on her face, however.

"Head pain?" She asked. Danny nodded. Jazz appeared to process this information, before coming to a conclusion. "I'm coming with you then." Before Danny could protest, she added, "I'm your big sister Danny. I'm allowed to be concerned about your health. Don't worry about Tucker and Sam. It'll be like I'm not even there." He still wanted to protest, but the look on his sister's face warned him otherwise. "Listen. Tell me right away if that ever happens again. _Please."_ And before anything else could be said, she stood up and exiting the room.

' _What was that all about?'_ Danny wondered silently. The look on his sister's face... she looked like she was on the verge of tears. _'But why?'_

•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

Standing outside her brother's door, Jazz paused and tried to slow down her breathing. ' _This is too soon for this to be happening!'_ Jazz thought, a frantic tone evident in her mind. After a few shaky breaths, she counted to ten, and started walking down the stairs for a glass of water. Her parents were still in the basement, oblivious to what had occured upstairs. Jazz took a cup, filled it with warm water, and began to slowly drink it. ' _It'll be fine,'_ she assured herself mentally.

' _I promised this would be the last time.'_

 **A/N**

 **This is my first multi-chapter fic, it is a crossover between Invader Zim and Danny Phantom. I welcome any and all constructive criticism and suggestions, so please don't be afraid to review! Hopefully future chapters will be longer, but I can't guarantee that, (or a constant upload schedule).**


	2. 2- An Awkward Breakfast

Bits and pieces of colour flew through his sight. He was alone, standing in a field that was not quite right, although he couldn't place what exactly what was wrong with it. He looked around, searching for something else, _someone else,_ but to no avail. Then she was there. She stood in front of him, her red hair long enogh to reach the tall grass. He looked at her face, expecting to be comforted but there was nothing there. A large gaping hole where a face would be was present. Soon, the rest was gone too. Dust fell on his now shaking hands. He heard a voice in the distance. Turning to face it, he could hear it clearly, but no words made sense to him. He tried to cry out, to talk to the voice, but his was gone, and no sound came out. He closed his eyes, clutching the dust scattered on his hands, as if that would help. But nothing more happened.

Danny shot out of bed, heart racing from the dream that was already slipping from his memory. He quickly slowed his breathing, not wanting to alert his older sister that something was wrong. She was in the dream. Her face, however, wasn't. And then she... Danny tried to quickly remember the other details, but nothing else came to memory. He glanced at the window beside his bed. Still dark. He layed down on his bed, and tried to go to sleep. He was unable to for the rest of the night.

•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

"Danny?" A voice came from outside of his door. "Are you ready to leave yet?" It was Jazz speaking.

"Yeah, almost." A tired voice replied. Danny tried to sound as awake as possible, but he wasn't sure if it had worked.

"Bring your suitcase downstairs then. When are Sam and Tucker coming over?" She asked. Danny thought for a moment, and then realized he hadn't texted the two the time. He quickly grabbed his phone to tell them to come over. "Danny?"

"Yeah, they're almost here," he lied. "Traffic's... bad?" He finished lamely. Danny could hear his sister chuckling through the door.

"Well, tell them that they can eat here. I made waffles."

"Okay." As his sister walked downstairs, Danny texted his friends about the breakfast. He stood up shakily, taking a second to balance himself, and took his suitcase downstairs. Before he left his room, he grabbed his empty backpack and filled it with some ghost gear. A Fenton Thermos, some wrist rays for his friends, the usual. Slinging the pack over his shoulders, he made his way down the staircase, bumping the suitcase down on every step. Jazz was in the kitchen cooking and didn't stop him, and who knew where his parents could be.

Placing the heavy suitcase by the door, he took a second to smell the scent of waffles wafting in the the room over. He really was lucky to have a sister like Jazz, even though she could be overbearing. The door to the house then suddenly opened, and his two friends burst in, interrupting his thoughts.

"Hey Danny! How are you?" Tucker shouted. Danny winced slightly from his volume. They arrived much faster than he had expected. Tucker must have somehow gotten a ride with Sam.

"I'm good, you? And how are you, Sam?" Both teens being addressed affirmed they were well.

"Are those waffles I smell? And bacon?" Inquired a hungry Tucker.

"Yeah, nothing like the sweet smell of animal cruelty. Delicious." Sam replied. Danny swooped in before it could turn into a full fight.

"Don't worry Sam, there's a vegan option too." Danny told her. She looked happier at hearing this.

The three walked to the kitchen, where Jazz was. The scent of waffles drifted through the air along with the sizzling sound of bacon being cooked. A plate could be seen on the table, already almost full. The boys eagerly filled their plates before eating.

"Sam? I was just about to cook something for you, but is there anything specific you want?" Asked Jazz.

"I'm not that hungry, oatmeal is fine." Jazz smiled and took out some oats. Sam sat down next to her two friends, plugging her nose to avoid smelling the bacon. She waited for them to finish scarfing down tgeir food before speaking, but it disn't matter as Maddie and Jack Fenton burst into the kitchen. Jack was practically bouncing up and down, failing to contain his excitement. Maddie whispered something to her husband, who then left the kitchen, aleit slightly disappointedly. He could be heard in the distance performing loud checks on various ghost hunting items. Maddie then walked to where the table was, and sat down.

"Jazz, are you really sure you want to come on this trip?" She inquired. "Your decision seemed rather sudden. If you feel obligated to spend time with your family-"

"It's not that." Jazz replied suddenly. She then seemed to realise she had cut her mother off, and tried to recover. "I just... you know, wanted to get away from the house?" Her reply sounded more like a question and she reprimanded herself internally. Her mother sensed that something was off, but recognized it was not the time to say anything. She turned her attention to Danny and his friends as Jazz turned away akwardly. Tucker and Danny had finished eating, and Sam picked up on the tension in the room. She couldn't detect what it was from, however. Jazz walked over to her, but a bowl of oatmeal on the table, and quickly left afterwards, without an explanation. And if a tear left her eyes after, no one saw.

 **A/N**

 **Almost two weeks later, and the chapter isn't as good as I wanted it to be. It was supposed to be longer, but I wanted to put something else put. I'll try to update faster next time, but it probably won't happen. Thank you to anyone who read the chapter, or reviewed, or even followed. As always, constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. I want to improve my writing so the story is actually readable.**

 **'Till next time.**

 **(I reread this chapter after having it in a draft for a while and the beginning of the chapter is not related to infinity war I haven't even seen the movie)**


End file.
